C*e 


Principles  and  J{uhs 


of  m 


Salem  Congregation 


at 


Sahm,  U.  C 


C6e  Hi&rarp 

of  t|>e 

(Hntoergitp  of  Jl3ott&  Carolina 


Collection  ot  iRortfi  Caroliniana 
from  t&e  Eiferatj?  of 

Cp2B4.(o 


THE 

RULES  AND  REGULATIONS 

OF  THE 

SALEM  CONGREGATION 

AT 


SALEM,  N.  C. 


Adopted  by  Congregation  Council,  May  9th,  1893. 
Approved  by  Prov.  Elders'  Conference,  May  nth,  1893. 

AMENDMENTS  ! 

Approved  by  Prov.  Elders'  Conference,  May  5th,  1904. 
Approved  by  Congregation  Council,  July  26th,  1904. 


u& 


WITH  APPENDICES. 


J& 


Winston-Salem,  N.  C. 
KING'S  PRINTING  HOUSE. 

1904. 


CONTENTS. 


i.  Historical  Note 3 

2.  Chapter  I.     Doctrine 6 

3.  Chapter  II.     The   Brotherly  Agreement...     8 

4.  Chapter  III.     Government 12 

5.  Chapter  IV.     Ministers 19 

6.  Chapter  V.     Rules  and  Regulations 21 

7.  Appendix  I.     Outline  of  the  History  of 

the  Moravian  Church 25 

8.  Appendix  II.     Moravian  Missions 27 

9.  Appendix  III.     The  Southern  District 28 

10.  Appendix  IV.     The  Salem  Congregation  ...  31 

11.  Appendix  V.     Special  Services  and  Church 

Customs  of  the  Salem  Congregation 33 


HISTORICAL  NOTE. 


The  Unitas  Fratrum,  or  Church  of  the  United  Brethren, 
commonly  called  Moravians,  arose  in  the  countries  of  Bohe- 
mia and  Moravia,  which  are  now  provinces  of  the  Austrian 
Empire. 

This  part  of  Europe  was  originally  Christianized  by  mission- 
aries of  the  Greek  Church.  Hence,  there  always  existed  a 
freer  Christian  spirit,  and  a  warmer  attachment  to  the  use  of 
the  native  tongue  in  God's  worship,  than  was  the  case  in  coun- 
tries where  the  Gospel  was  first  proclaimed  by  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church. 

Of  this  freer  and  more  Biblical  tendency,  the  great  reform- 
er, John  Hus,  was  an  eminent  example.  It  was  his  earnest 
effort  to  bring  back  the  corrupted  Church  of  his  times  to  the 
rules  of  the  Holy  Bible.  His  fervent  labors  were  closed  by 
his  heroic  martyrdom  at  Constance,  July  6th,  141 5. 

About  forty  years  after  the  death  of  John  Hus,  a  number  of 
his  earnest-minded  followers,  hopeless  of  any  complete  reform 
in  the  old  national  Church,  banded  themselves  together,  in 
north-eastern  Bohemia,  under  the  name  of  u  Brethren."  In 
1467  they  received  the  episcopacy  from  Waldensians,  and  were 
then  constituted  as  an  independent  Church,  bearing  the  name 
of  ' '  The  United  Brethren. ' ' 

For  more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  years,  this  earliest  of 
the  Protestant  Churches  flourished  greatly,  though  amid  fre- 
quent and  bitter  persecutions.  They  translated  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  published  many  hymns  and  other  religious  writings, 
instituted  schools,  and  were  known  for  the  purity  of  their 
Christian  life.  They  stood  on  friendly  terms  with  Luther  at 
Wittemberg,  and  with  Calvin  and  his  fellow-laborers  at  Stras- 
burg  and  Genevaa.  Hving  spread  into  Poland,  as  well  as 
Bohemia  and  Moravia,  this  Church  of  the  United  Brethren  bid 


fair  to  become  the  National  Protestant  Church  of  these,  at 
that  time,  prosperous  countries. 

But,  in  the  Thirty  Years'  War,  the  Protestant  faith  was 
crUvShed  under  the  iron  hand  of  Austria,  animated  by  the  coun- 
sel and  assisted  by  the  persevering  efforts  of  the  Jesuits. 
Some  of  the  leading  brethren  perished  by  the  sword,  many 
were  exiled,  and  the  remnant  was  gradually  forced  back  into 
the  Roman  Catholic  communion. 

A  century  later  the  preaching  of  a  Moravian,  Christian 
David  by  name,  was  the  means  of  a  powerful  awakening  in 
certain  Moravian  villages  among  the  descendants  of  the 
Ancient  Brethren.  Desirous  of  serving  God  in  the  way  in 
which  their  fathers  had  done,  they  fled  from  their  native  land, 
and  found  refuge  on  the  estate  of  a  Saxon  nobleman,  Count 
Zinzendorf. 

This  young  and  deeply  pious  Count  interested  himself 
strongly  in  the  Moravian  exiles,  and,  at  the  sacrifice  of  his 
worldly  honors  and  estates,  became  their  leader  through  the 
following  forty  years,  until  his  death,  in  1760, 

A  remarkably  deep  and  blessed  outpouring  of  the  Spirit,  on 
August  13th,  1727,  confirmed  the  grace  which  the  exiles  had 
already  received.  Filled  with  a  fervant  love  for  Christ  they 
desired  to  testifiy  to  Him  both  at  home  and  abroad.  This  led 
to  the  beginning  of  the  missionary  work  of  the  Moravians 
among  the  heathen  in  1732,  which  is  still  their  chief  enterprise, 
carried  on  in  every  great  division  of  the  globe. 

The  desire  of  the  Moravians  to  bring  the  Gospel  to  the 
American  Indians  served  as  a  main  motive  for  their  settlement 
in  this  country.  The  central  Northern  settlement  at  Bethlehem 
was  formed  in  1741.  The  Moi  avians  having  emigrated  to 
North  Carolina  in  1753,  the  settlement  of  Salem  was  begun  in 
1766. 

In  1735,  the  episcopacy  of  the  Bohemian  Brethren  was 
transferred  to  the  Renewed  Moravian  Church,  by  the  two 
surviving  bishops  of  the  ancient  line,  and  gradually  the  Church 
was  constituted  into  its  present  form  of  government.  The 
supreme  control,  under  Christ,  is  exercised  by  its  Synods. 
During  the  intervals  between  Synods,  Conferences  of  three  or 
more  brethren  conduct  the  affairs  of  the  Church. 


The  Moravian  belief  consists  of  the  simple  evangelical  faith 
on  which  the  Protestant  Churches  are  substantially  agreed. 
They  hold  that  the  Son  of  God  shed  His  blood  on  the  cross 
for  sinners,  that  they  might  be  forgiven  through  faith  in  Him, 
and,  when  forgiven,  might  exercise  their  faith  in  good  works, 
and  thus  become  ready  for  heaven. 

From  the  earliest  times  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  has  laid 
more  stress  on  the  development  of  Christian  life  than  upon  the 
working  out  of  the  minuter  varieties  of  doctrine. 

Several  peculiarities,  such  as  I^ove-feasts,  after  the  example 
of  the  Apostolic  Church,  and  an  Easter  morning  confession 
of  the  risen  Saviour  in  their  graveyards,  exist  and  are  greatly 
esteemed  in  many  of  the  Moravian  churches. 

Other  peculiarities,  such  as  marriage  by  lot.  a  common 
house-keeping,  exclusive  settlements  of  Moravians,  and  the 
like,  prevailed  for  a  time,  but  having  fulfilled  their  purpose, 
especially  during  the  hardships  of  early  colonial  settlement, 
have  long  since  been  given  up. 

The  present  form  of  doctrine,  practice  and  government  of 
the  Moravian  Church,  as  represented  in  the  life  of  its  central 
congregation  in  the  South,  that  of  Salem,  N.  C,  will  be 
found  set  forth  in  the  following  pages. 


CHAPTER  I; 


DOCTRINE. 

The  General  Synod  of  the  Church  of  the  United  Brethren 
has  laid  down  the  following  Doctrinal  Principles  : 

i.      The  Foundation  of  Our  Doctrine. 

The  Holy  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  are 
and  shall  remain  the  only  rule  of  our  faith  and  practice.  We 
venerate  them  as  God's  Word,  which  he  spake  to  mankind  of 
old  time  in  the  Prophets  and,  at  last,  in  His  Son  and  by  his 
Apostles,  to  instruct  us  unto  salvation  through  faith  in  Christ 
Jesus.  We  are  convinced  that  all  truths  that  declare  the  will 
of  God  for  our  salvation  are  fully  contained  therein. 

2.      The  Chief  Substance  of  Our  Doctrine. 

The  Renewed  Brethren's  Church  has,  from  the  beginning, 
regarded  as  her  chief  doctrine  this  truth  :  "Jesus  Christ  is  the 
propitiation  for  our  sins  ;  and  not  for  ours  only,  but  also  for 
the  sins  of  the  whole  world." — (I  John  ii,  2.)  "  For  he  hath 
made  him  to  be  sin  for  us  who  knew  no  sin  ;  that  we  might  be 
made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him," — (II  Cor.  v,  21.)  or, 
as  we  sing  in  one  of  our  hymns — 

"Whosoever  belie veth  in  Christ's  redemption, 
Will  find  free  grace  and  a  complete  exemption 
From  serving  sin!" 

With  this  our  leading  doctrine,  the  following  facts  and 
truths,  clearly  attested  by  Holy  Scripture,  are  linked  in  essen- 
tial connection  and,  with  it,  form  our  understanding  of  the 
Gospel  : 

{a)  The  doctrine  of  the  total  depravity  of  our  human  nature; 
i.  e. ,  that  since  the  Fall  there  is  no  health  in  man,  and  that  he 


has  no  power  left  by  which  to  save  himself.  (John  iii,  6  ; 
Rom  iii,  23  ;  Rom.  vii,  18  ;  Rom.  i,  18 — 32  ;  Rom.  iii,  9-18  ; 
Ephes.  ii,   9-18.) 

(d)  The  doctrine  of  the  love  of  God,  the  Father,  to  the  falle?i 
human  race,  according  to  which  He  ''chose  us  in  Christ  before 
the  foundation  of  the  world,"  and  "so  loved  the  world  that  he 
gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him 
should  not  perish  but  have  eternal  life."  (Kph,  i,  3-4;  Eph. 
ii,  4  ;  John  iii,  16  ;  I  John  iv,  9.) 

if)  The  doctrine  of  the  real  Godhead  and  the  jeal  humanity 
of  Jesus  Christ ;  i.  e.,  that  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God,  He 
by  whom  all  things  in  heayen  and  earth  were  created,  forsook 
the  glory  he  had  with  the  Father  before  the  world  was,  and 
took  upon  himself  our  flesh  and  blood,  that  in  all  things  he 
might  be  made  like  unto  his  brethren,  yet  without  sin. 
(I  John  i,  1-3;  John  i,  14;  John  xvii,  5  ;  Phil,  ii,  6,  7  ; 
Hebr.  ii,  14,  17  ;  Hebr.  iv,  15  ;   Col.  i,  17-19  ;    I  John  v,  20.) 

(d)  The  doctrine  of  our  Reconciliation  with  God  and  our 
Justification  before  Him  through  the  Sacrifice  of  Jesus  Christ ; 
i.  e.,  that  "Christ  was  delivered  up  for  our  trespasses  and  was 
raised  for  our  justification,"  and  that  alone  by  faith  in  him 
''we  have  through  his  blood  forgiveness  of  sin,"  "peace  with 
God"  and  freedom  from  the  service  of  sin.  (Rom.  iii,  24,  25; 
Rom.  v,  1;  I  Cor.  i,  30  ;  Hebr.  ii,  17  ;  Heb.  xi,  12  ;  I  Peter 
i,    18,    19  ;  I  John  i.  18,  19  ;  I  John  i,  9  ;  II  Cor.  v,  18,  19.) 

(<?)  The  doctrine  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and  the  operations  of 
His  Grace;  i.  e.,  that  without  him  we  are  unable  to  know  the 
truth  ;  that  it  is  he  who  leads  us  to  Christ  by  working  in  us 
the  knowledge  of  sin  and  faith  in  Jesus,  and  that  he  "beareth 
witness  with  our  spirit  that  we  are  the  children  of  God." 
(John  xvi,  8-1 1,  13,  14  ;  I  Cor.  xii,  3  ;  Rom.  viii,  16.) 

(/)  The  doctrine  of  Good  Works  as  the  Fruit  of  the  Cpirit; 
i.  e.,  that  in  them  faith  manifests  itself  as  a  living,  acting 
power,  which  induces  us,  out  of  love  and  gratitude  to  him  who 
died  for  us,  willingly  to  follow  the  commandments  of  God. 
(John  xix,  15  ;  Rom.  vi,  11-14  ;  I  Cor.  vi,  20  ;  Gal.  v,  6, 
22-24  ;  I  John  v,  3-5  ;  Ephes.  ii,  8-10  ;   James  ii,    17.) 


(g)  The  doctrine  of  the  Fellowship  of  Believers  with  One 
Another;  i.  e.,  that  they  are  all  one  in  Christ  Jesus,  the  Head 
of  his  body,  and  are  all  members  one  of  another,  (John  xvii, 
21  ;  Matthew  xxiii,  8  ;  Ephes.  iv,  4.) 

(//)  The  doctrine  of  the  Second  Coming  of  the  Lordin  Glory 
and  of  the  Resurrection  of  the  Dead,  unto  Life  or  unto  fudgment. 
(Acts  i,  1 1  ;  John  vi,  40  ;  John  xi,  25,  26  ;  John  iii,  36  ;  John 
v,  25-29  ;  I  Thes.  iv,  14-17O 

While  we  do  not  draw  up  and  set  forth  these  truths  and  our 
acceptance  of  them  in  a  strictly  formal  creed,  our  apprehension 
of  the  chief  substance  of  Christian  doctrine  has  found,  in  a 
special  way,  its  expression  in  what  has  been  solemnly  declared 
by  our  Church,  year  by  year,  for  more  than  a  hundred  years 
past,  in  our  Litany  on  Easter  morning. 


CHAPTER  II. 


THE  BROTHERLY  AGREEMENT. 

1.  The  fundamental  object  of  our  religious  union  is  to  con- 
stitute a  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  in  which  the  pure  Word  of 
God  is  preached,  the  sacraments  are  duly  administered,  and 
Christian  discipline  is  maintained. 

2.  As  members  of  the  Church  of  United  Brethren,  com- 
monly called  Moravians,  we  acknowledge  the  Holy  Scriptures 
of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  to  contain  everything  essential 
to  salvation  and  to  be  the  only  rule  of  our  faith  and  practice. 

3.  We  recognize,  as  a  true  member  of  Christ's  body,  the 
Church,  every  one  who,  through  the  Holy  Ghost,  has  experi- 
enced the  new  birth.  Hence,  we  regard  all  children  of  God 
as  our  brethren  in  Christ,  loving  them  sincerely  and  heartily. 


We  decidedly  disclaim  all  sectarian  animosities,  arising  from 
diversity  of  views  on  points  of  doctrine,  discipline,  or  church- 
government.  We  desire  to  live  in  cordial  fellowship  with  the 
members  of  all  evangelical  Churches. 

4.  Esteeming  it  a  great  privilege  to  meet  together  for  the 
worship  of  God  and  for  mutual  edification,  we  will  be  faithful 
in  attending  our  Church  services,  "not  forgetting  the  assem- 
bling of  ourselves  together."      (Hebr.  x,  25.) 

5.  We  consider  ourselves  bound  faithfully  to  provide  a 
sufficient  and  suitable  support  for  our  ministers  and  their 
families  ;  and  we  will  also  bear  a  part  in  defraying  all  other 
expenses  connected  with  the  services  of  the  congregation. 

6.  As  members  of  the  Moravian  Church  we  consider  our- 
selves in  duty  bound  to  contribute  to  Causes  of  the  District  to 
which  we  belong,  and  of  the  Brethren's  Unity  at  large. 

7.  We  recognize  our  children  to  be  the  property  of  our 
IyOrd  Jesus  Christ,  purchased  with  his  precious  blood  in  order 
that  they  might  be  brought  up  in  his  nurture  and  admonition, 
(Ephes.  v,  4.)  Hence,  it  is  expected  of  parents  to  pray  for 
their  children,  train  them  in  the  commandments  and  love  of 
our  Saviour,  guard  them  against  what  might  prove  hurtful  to 
their  souls,  gather  them  in  family  devotions,  and  set  them  a 
consistent  Christian  example.  We  further  regard  it  the  duty 
or  parents  that  they  cause  their  children  punctually  to  attend 
school,  religious  instruction  and  church  services  ;  that  they 
provide  them  with  suitable  employment  at  home  and  accustom 
them  to  habits  of  order,  decorum  and  diligence  in  the  business 
of  life. 

8.  We  will  endeavor,  in  true,  brotherly  love,  to  serve  and 
aid  one  another  ;  to  bear  with  and  forgive  one  another,  mutu- 
ally to  exercise  meekness,  humility  and  becoming  respect,  and 
carefully  to  avoid  back-biting,  slandering  or  other  uncharita- 
ble practices. 

9.  As  we  are  called,  through  the  grace  of  God,  to  be 
children  of  peace,  we  will  follow  after  peace  with  all  men, 
carefully  endeavoring  to  obey  the  precepts  of  our  Saviour  : 
"  Whatsoever  ye  would  that  men  should  do  to  you,  do  ye  even 
so  to  them ;"  and  bearing  in  mind  the  important  charge :  ' '  Love 


IO 

your  enemies,  bless  them  that  curse  you,  and  pray  for  them 
that  despitefully  use  you  and  persecute  you. ' ' 

10,  We  recognize  the  duty  of  relieving  the  necessities  of 
all  such  members  as  may,  through  age,  sickness  or  other 
afflictions,  have  become  destitute  and  unable  to  maintain  them- 
selves. We  likewise  assume  the  obligation  of  so  providing  for 
the  education  of  destitute  orphans  in  the  congregation,  that 
they  may  become  useful  members  of  society  and  capable  of 
procuring  for  themselves  an  honest  livelihood. 

ii.  With  regard  to  dress  and  domestic  arrangements,  we 
will  live  within  our  means,  and  will  abstain  from  anything 
which  might  rightly  be  regarded  as  unworthy  of  a  child  of 
God. 

12.  We  consider  ourselves  in  duty  bound  to  provide  things 
honest  in  the  sight  of  men  as  well  as  in  the  sight  of  God. 
We  will,  therefore,  endeavor  to  be  ''not  slothful  in  business, 
fervent  in  spirit,  serving  the  Lord,"  (Rom.  xii,  n.),  and  we 
will  steadily  discountenance  the  sin  of  habitual  idleness. 

13.  We  will  not  forget  to  hallow  the  Lord's  day.  We  will 
make  a  faithful  use  of  it  as  a  day  of  Christian  edification  and 
Christian  usefulness.  The  carrying  on  of  worldly  business  or 
labor,  other  than  works  of  charitj'  or  necessity  ;  the  frequent- 
ing of  places  of  worldly  resort,  or  anything  which  interferes 
with  edification  and  attendance  on  divine  worship  is  wholly 
inadmissible. 

14.  Regarding  intemperance  in  the  use  of  strong  drink  as 
a  most  pernicious  and  sinful  practice,  rendering  men  in  an 
especial  degree  the  servants  of  sin,  we  will  endeavor  to  remove 
from  among  us  everything  that  can  furnish  occasion  for  this 
evil,  and  give  timely  admonition  and  warning  to  those  who 
may  be  exposing  themselves  to  temptation. 

15.  We  will  carefully  beware  of  all  books  and  publications 
which  are  opposed  to  the  Bible,  or  treat  it  irreverently,  or  of 
such  as  have  an  immoral  tendency.  We  will  abstain  from  par- 
ticipating in  such  amusements  as  have  an  injurious,  or  at  least, 
a  questionable  tendency  with  respect  to  Christian  morals. 

16.  In  case  misunderstandings  or  differences  arise  among 
any  of  the  members  they  shall  first,  according  to  the  command 


II 

of  Christ  (Matt,  xviii,  15-17.)  endeavor  to  come  to  an  amicable 
agreement  and  equitable  settlement  among  themselves.  Should 
they  tail  in  so  doing,  the  persons  at  variance  shall  select  some 
other  members  of  the  congregation  to  act  as  mediators  ;  and, 
if  the  difficulty  cannot  be  so  arranged  to  mutual  satisfaction, 
the  case  shall  be  referred  to  the  Board  of  Elders  f  Dr  brotherly 
investigation  and  decision.  In  case,  however,  the  point  in 
dispute  shall  render  a  resort  to  the  courts  of  justice  indispen- 
sible,  everything  at  variance  with  our  character  as  brethren  is 
to  be  avoided. 

17.  Should  any  one  be  overtaken  in  a  fault  (Gal.  vi,  1.) 
we  will  endeavor  to  restore  such  an  one  in  the  spirit  of  meek- 
ness ;  and  when,  on  committing  an  error,  we  are  admonished 
and  reproved,  we  will  by,  the  grace  of  God,  receive  reproof 
thankfully,  and  strive  to  amend,  considering  all  such  admon- 
ition as  great  benefits  conferred  upon  us. 

18.  Inasmuch  as  it  behooves  every  member  of  the  Church 
in  all  things  to  walk  worthy  of  the  Gospel,  so,  also,  shall  those 
who  give  offence  by  their  conduct,  and  refuse  correction,  be, 
after  repeated  admonitions  and  reproof,  excluded  from  church 
fellowship  according  to  the  rule:  "Put  away  from  among 
yourselves  that  wicked  person." 

19.  If,  therefore,  any  member,  in  word  or  deed,  act 
contrary  to  the  rules  and  regulations  of  the  Church,  and,  by 
his  example,  tempt  others  to  do  the  same  «  transgressing  the 
laws  of  the  country  ;  overreaching  his  neighbor  in  trade  ; 
taking  part  in  gambling  or  lotteries  ;  being  guilty  of  lying, 
backbiting,  and  calumny  ;  giving  himself  up  to  drunkenness  ; 
neglecting  to  satisfy  his  creditors  ;  committing  the  sins  of  curs- 
ing and  swearing,  fornication  and  adultery,  or  other  manifest 
works  of  the  flesh,  as  enumerated  in  Gal.  v,  19-21. — such  an 
one  can  no  longer  be  considered  a  member  of  the  Church. 


12 


CHAPTER  III. 


GOVERNMENT. 

I.       THE   BRETHREN'S    UNITY. 

The  Evangeiical  Brethren's  Unity  consists  of  the  following 
parts  : 

A.      THE   INDEPENDENT   PROVINCES. 

(i)     The  Evangelical  Brethren's  Unity  in  Germany. 

(2)  The  Evangelical  Brethren's  Unity  in  Great  Britain. 

(3)  The  Evangelical  Brethren's  Unity  in  America,  North- 
ern Province. 

(4)  The  Evangelical  Brethren's  Unity  in  America,  South- 
ern Province. 

Each  of  these  Four  Provinces  independently  administers  its 
own  affairs,  and  controls  its  own  property,  in  accordance  with 
the  general  principles  of  the  Unity,  in  Government,  Doctrine, 
Ritual,  and  Christian  Life,  as  these  are  set  forth,  in  the 
Proceedings  of  the  General  Synod. 

B.       THE   MISSION   PROVINCES. 

These  are  fourteen  in  number,  viz  :  1,  Labrador; 
2,  Alaska  ;  3,  Indian  Missions  in  North  America ;  4,  Moskito 
Coast  in  Central  America;  5,  Demerara ;  6,  Surinam,  in 
South  America  ;  7,  Jamaica  ;  8,  West  Indies,  East  ;  9,  South 
Africa,  East;  10,  South  Africa,  West;  11,  Nyassa ;  12, 
Urambo,  in  Central  Africa  ;  13,  Australia  ;  14,  West  Hima- 
laya, is  Asia. 

These  Mission  Provinces  are  more  or  less  independent  in 
the  administration  of  their  own  affairs,  according  to  the  degree 
of  self  support  to  which  they  may  have  attained. 

The  L,eper  Hospital,  in  Jerusalem,  is  a  charge  upon  the 
entire  Unity. 


C.       THE   EVANGKUCAL   UNITY    IN    AUSTRIA    (BOHEMIA 
AND    MORAVIA). 

Owing  to  the  poverty,  and  the  smallness  of  the  congrega- 
tions, in  this  original  home  of  the  Unity,  where  the  Church 
has  suffered  through  centuries  of  persecution,  the  administra- 
tion of  affairs  is  vested  in  a  committee  chosen  by  General 
Synod  and  acting  in  connection  with  the  Unity's  Directing 
Board. 

2.      THE   GENERAL   SYNOD. 

The  General  Synod,  which  usually  meets  once  in  ten  years, 
represents  the  entire  Unity  and  lays  down  the  General 
Principles  of  Government,  Doctrine,  Ritual,  and  Christion 
L,ife,  by  which  the  several  parts  of  the  Unity  are  to  be  guided. 

3.       THE   UNITY'S   DIRECTING   BOARD. 

The  Unity's  Directing  Board  consists  of  the  Mission  Board 
and  of  the  Provincial  Elders'  Conferences  of  the  four  inde- 
pendent Provinces.  It  has  its  seat  at  Berthelsdorf,  near 
Herrnhut,  in  Saxony.  Its  President  is  chosen  by  the 
General  Synod.  It  superintends  those  general  affairs  of  the 
Unity  with  which  in  has  been  specially  charged^by  the  General 
Synod. 

4.       PROVINCIAL   SYNODS. 

The  chief  direction  of  all  Provincial  concerns  and  the  power 
of  legislating  upon  them  belongs  to  Provincial  Synods.  These 
Synods  are  especially  charged  with  the  duty  of  examining 
thoroughly  into  the  spiritual  as  well  as  temporal  condition  of 
the  congregations  within  the  Province. 

5.      THE   PROVINCIAL   ELDERS'    CONFERENCE. 

The  chief  Board  of  administration  in  all  provincial  affairs  is 
the  Provincial  Elders'  Conference.  The  Board  is  elected  by 
the  Provincial  Synod,  and  is  responsible  to  that  body  for  its 
administration. 


14 

6.    THK  CONGRKGATION  COUNCIL  OF  SAI<EM  CONGREGATION. 

i.  The  Congregation  Council  is  composed  of  all  brethren, 
communicant  members  of  the  congregation,  who  have  attained 
to  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  and  have  subscribed  to  the 
rules  and  regulations  of  the  congregation,  and  have  paid  their 
church  dues.  (See  Section  7  of  the  Charter).  The  act  of 
subscribing  to  the  rules  can  only  take  place  in  the  presence  of 
the  Chairman  of  the  Board  of  Elders,  who  shall  add  the  date 
of  the  signature. 

2.  The  sisters  of  the  congregation  may  be  present  at  the 
meeting  of  the  Council,  and  shall  participate  in  its  proceedings 
as  far  as  the  terms  of  the  Charter  permit. 

3.  The  pastor,  or  in  case  there  be  more  than  one,  the  senior 
pastor,  shall  preside  at  all  meetings  of  the  Council.  In  case 
of  his  absence,  the  Congregation  Council  shall  appoint  a 
Chairman  pro  tern,  All  meetings  shall  be  announced  on  two 
occasions  of  public  worship.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Con- 
gregation Council  to  elect  the  delegates  to  the  Provincial 
Synod  and  the  District  Conference  ;  the  Trustees,  the  elective 
members  of  the  Board  of  Elders  and  of  the  School  Board,  and 
all  other  officers  and  boards  of  the  congregation  not  otherwise 
provided  for. 

4.  The  Board  of  Elders  shall  have  authority  at  any  time  to 
convene  a  special  meeting  of  the  Congregation  Council.  Upon 
application  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  or  ten  members  of  the 
Council,  they  shall  likewise  call  a  special  meeting. 

5.  All  standing  officers  elected  by  the  Congregation  Council 
shall  continue  in  office  until  their  successors  are  elected.  All 
elections  shall  be  by  ballot,  and  a  majority  of  the  votes  cast 
shall  be  necessary  to  a  choice. 

6.  All  matters  that  relate  to  the  temporal  or  spiritual 
welfare  of  the  congregation  may  be  discussed  in  the  Council 
at  the  motion  of  any  member,  or  by  the  request  of  the  Board 
of  Elders  or  the  Board  of  Trustees. 

7.  The  annual  report  of  the  Board  of  Elders  shall  be  sub- 
mitted to  the  Council,  and  the  annual  accounts  of  the  congre- 
gation shall  all  be  presented  to  the  Council  within  three  months 
after  the  close  of  the  fiscal  year, 


15 

8.  In  addition  to  the  Council,  each  branch  of  the  congre- 
gation has  its  own  annual  meeting  and  its  own  advisory 
committee. 

7,   THE  BOARDS  OF  THK  SALKM  CONGREGATION. 

i.      The  Board  of  Elders. 

a.  The  Board  of  Elders  is  composed  of  the  Pastor,  or 
Pastors,  of  the  congregation,  the  Principal  of  the  Salem 
Female  Academy,  and  three  other  brethren.  The  number  of 
elected  brethren  shall  be  increased  to  six  as  soon  as  the  Charter 
has  been  amended  to  that  effect.  They  shall  not  be  less  than 
thirty  years  of  age  and  must  have  been  members  of  the  con- 
gregation not  less  than  five  years.  They  shall  serve  for  three 
years,  and  shall  be  elected  in  such  a  manner  that  the  term  of 
one  will  expire  with  each  year.  The  election  shall  take  place 
on  the  first  Tuesday  in  May  of  each  year,  and  shall  be  the  first 
of  the  elections  at  that  Council  meeting.  No  one  shall  be  a 
member  of  the  Board  of  Elders  and  of  the  Board  of  Trustees 
at  the  same  time. 

b.  At  the  meetings  of  the  Board  of  Elders  the  Pastor  shall 
preside,  or  if  there  be  several,  the  Senior  Pastor.  In  case  of 
the  absence  of  the  presiding  officer,  the  members  of  the  Board 
shall  appoint  a  presiding  officer. 

c.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Board  of  Elders  : 

1 .  To  watch  over  the  spiritual  and  moral  well-being  of  the 
congregation  as  a  whole. 

2.  To  regulate  the  various  meetings  for  worship. 

3.  To  determine  for  what  purposes  the  churches  and 
chapels  may  be  used, 

4.  To  maintain  the  proper  exercise  of  Church  discipline. 

5.  To  decide  upon  applications  to  Church  membership  and 
dismissals  from  the  same,  and  also  upon  names  of  persons  to 
be  dropped  or  to  be  excluded  from  the  congregation. 

6.  To  appoint  the  Superintendents  of  the  Sunday  Schools 
in  connection  with  the  congregation 

7.  To  appoint  the  organist  and  the  two  chief  chapel 
servants,  one  of  them  being  a  brother  and  the  other  a  sister, 
who,  with  the  concurrence  of  the  Board,  shall  appoint  their 
assistants. 


i6 

8.  To  assist  the  Pastor  in  the  administration  of  the  church 
music. 

9.  In  general,  to  carry  out  in  this  congregation  the  princi- 
ples and  rules  enacted  by  the  proper  authorities  of  the  Church 
of  the  United  Brethren. 

d.  All  vacancies  among  the  elective  officers  of  the  Board 
shall  be  filled  by  the  remainder  of  the  Board  until  the  next 
annual  election. 

2.      The  Board  of  Trustees. 

a.  The  Board  of  Trustees  is  composed  of  six  brethren,  to 
be  elected  by  the  Congregation  Council.  They  shall  not  be 
less  than  twenty-five  years  of  age,  and  shall  have  been  com- 
municant members  of  the  congregation  for  not  less  than  three 
years.  Their  election  shall  take  place  on  the  first  Tuesday  in 
May,  and  shall  be  so  arranged  that  the  terms  of  two  of  them 
shall  expire  each  year.  At  the  first  meeting  after  each  annual 
election  the  Board  shall  organize  by  electing  a  President,  and 
a  Secretary  and  Treasurer.  In  case  of  the  absence  of  the 
presiding  officer,  the  members  shall  appoint  a  chairmau  pro 
tern. 

b.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  : 

1.  To  manage  and  direct  all  secular  and  financial  affairs  .of 
the  congregation  and  the  various  funds  entrusted  to  its  care. 

2.  To  determine  the  salaries  of  the  pastor,  the  assistants, 
and  other  officers  and  servants  of  the  congregation. 

3.  To  fix  upon  the  amount  of  Church  contributions,  and 
adopt  measures  for  the  punctual  payment  of  the  same.  In  so 
doing  it  shall  require  not  less  than  twenty-five  cents  per  month 
from  each  female  member  over  twenty-one  years  of  age,  and 
not  less  than  fifty  cents  per  month  from  each  male  member 
over  twenty-one  years  of  age,  this  sum  to  in^luda  lovefeast 
and  communion  dues.  But  it  shall  have  the  authority  to  ex- 
onerate members,  in  part  or  altogether,  on  account  of  their 
inability.  Members  not  residing  in  the  community  of  Salem 
shall  pay  not  less  than  one  dollar  per  annum,  to  retain  their 
full  membership. 


Non-communicant  birthright  members  over  twenty-one  years 
of  age,  who  desire  to  maintain  their  connection  with  the 
Church,  shall  pay  not  less  than  one  dollar  per  annum. 

While  the  above  classes  of  members  are  the  only  ones  from 
whom  an  annual  contribution  can  be  required,  still,  to  incul- 
cate the  habit  of  giving,  and  to  increase  an  interest  in  the 
Church,  all  communicants,  however  young,  should  be  asked 
to  give  something  each  year. 

At  the  beginning  of  each  fiscal  year  the  Board  of  Trustees 
shall  ask  such  adult  members,  as  in  its  opinion,  are  able  and 
willing  to  comply  with  the  request,  whether  he  or  she  will, 
that  year,  give1  somewhat  more  than  the  fixed  annual  dues, 
and  if  so,  how  much,  which  sum  shall  be  collected  with  dues. 

Each  branch  of  the  congregation  shall  collect,  annually, 
towards  Church  expenses,  at  least  as  much  as  would  result 
from  a  full  collection  of  required  dues  from  every  adult 
member. 

4.  To  pay  or  cause  to  be  paid  the  expenses  necessarily 
incurred  by  the  Board  of  Elders  and  of  the  School  Board  in 
the  discharge  of  their  legitimate  sphere  of  duties. 

5.  To  have  charge  of  the  Sisters'  House  and  the  Widows' 
House  of  the  congregation. 

6.  To  take  care  of  the  churches  and  chapels  of  the  congre- 
gation, in  connection  with  the  Advisory  Committee  appointed 
by  the  Home  church  and  of  the  several  chapels. 

7 .  To  have  the  charge  and  superintendence  of  the  grave- 
yard, and  the  appointment  of  persons  to  dig  graves  and  to 
keep  the  graveyard  in  proper  order. 

8.  To  fix  the  price  of  tuition  of  congregation  pupils  in 
Salem  Female  Academy,  and  collect  the  same.  In  doing  so,  it 
shall  require  not  less  than  $10,00  per  school  year  from  each 
pupil,  provided  that  any  pupil  whose  tuition  for  previous  years 
has  not  been  paid,  shall  be  debarred  from  the  privilege  of 
attending  this  school. 

c.  Any  vacancies  occurring  in  the  Board  shall  be  filled  by 
the  remaining  members  until  the  next  annual  election. 


j.      The  Joint  Action  of  the  Board  of  Elders  and  of  the  Board 
Trustees. 

The  Board  of  Elders  and  the  Board  of  Trustees  have  each 
their  separate  sphere  of  activity  and  are  not  to  interfere  with 
one  another  in  the  performance  of  their  peculiar  duties  ;  one 
having  charge  of  the  spiritual  and  the  other  of  the  temporal 
concerns  of  the  congregation  ;  yet  it  is  desirable  that  they 
should  be  on  terms  of  friendly  intercourse,  and  even  confer 
together  in  such  cases  as  may  arise  where  each  Board  is  inter- 
ested, or  where  such  mutual  conference  may  result  for  the 
manifest  good  of  the  congregation.  In  cases  of  disagreement 
between  these  two  Boards  a  joint  meeting  of  both  may  be  had 
and  the  subject  disposed  of  by  a  majority  of  votes. 

/.      The  School  Board. 

a.  The  School  Board  is  composed  of  the  Pastor,  or  Pastors, 
of  the  congregation,  the  Chairman  and  also  the  Treasurer  and 
Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  and  three  other  brethren 
to  be  elected  biennially  at  the  Congregation  Council  convened 
on  the  first  Tuesday  in  May. 

b.  The  Board  shall  have  the  direction  and  management  of 
the  congregation-school  for  boys.  The  Pastor,  or  if  there  be 
more  than  one,  the  Senior  Pastor  of  the  congregation,  shall  be 
the  president  of  the  Board.  In  case  of  the  absence  of  the 
presiding  officer,  the  members  of  the  Board  shall  appoint  a 
president  pro  tern. 

c.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Board  : 

i .  To  appoint  or  elect  a  Principal  of  the  School  who  may, 
but  need  not  be  one  of  its  members,  who  shall  have  charge  of 
the  School,  subject  to  the  direction  of  the  School  Board. 

2.  To  appoint  a  Head  Teacher,  or  teachers,  and  assistant 
teachers. 

3.  To  fix  the  salaries  of  the  Principal  and  teachers,  and 
provide  for  the  proper  maintenance  of  the  school,  and  to  reg- 
ulate the  price  of  tuition,  and  to  collect  the  same.  In  doing  so, 
it  shall  require  not  less  than  $1.50  per  month  from  each  con- 
gregation pupil  in  the  lower  classes,  and  not  less  than  $2.00 
per  month  for  each  congregation  pupil  in  the  Junior  and 
Senior  Classes,  provided  that  any  pupil  whose  tuition  for  pre- 


19 

vions  years  has  not  been   paid,   shall   be   debarred    from    the 
privilege  of  attending  this  school. 

4.  It  shall  not,  however,  incur  any  extraordinary  ex- 
penses without  previous  consultation  with  the  Board  of 
Trustees. 

5.  To  make  and  enforce  rules  and  regulations  for  the 
proper  government  of  the  School. 

d.  All  boys  eight  years  of  age,  or  upwards,  shall  be  admit- 
ted to  this  School,  whose  parents,  or  one  of  them,  are  members 
of  this  congregation,  and  who  shall  be  willing  to  submit  to  the 
rules  and  regulations  of  the  School.  The  sons  of  others,  not 
members,  may  be  admitted  on  such  terms  and  under  such 
rules  and  regulations  as  the  School  Board  may  find  expedient. 


CHAPTER    IV. 


MINISTERS. 

1.  The  Ministers  of  the  Church  of  the  United  Brethren 
are  Bishops,  Presbyters  and  Deacons. 

1.      BISHOPS. 

The  Bishops  have  been  derived  from  the  Ancient  Church  of 
the  United  Brethren,  and  have  continued  in  an  uninterrupted 
line  of  succession  within  the  Church  for  more  than  four 
hundred  years.  It  is  their  exclusive  function  to  ordain  the 
ministers  of  the  Church,  and  they  are  entitled  as  voting  mem- 
bers, to  attend  the  General  Synod  of  the  Brethren's  Unity  and 
the  Provincial  Synods  of  the  Province  in  which  they  reside. 
They  have  no  diocesan  or  conferential  authority.  Their 
office  is  a  spiritual  one,  as  being  in  a  peculiar  sense,  interces- 
sors in  the  Church  of  God,  and  charged  to  bear  the  interests  of 
the  Unity  upon  their  hearts  before  the  Lord, 


20 

2.       PRESBYTERS. 

The  Presbyters  are  the  ministers  who  have  been  serving  in 
the  sacred  office  for  some  length  of  time,  and  who  either  have 
charge  of  a  congregation  in  the  ministry  of  the  Word,  or  are 
entrusted  with  the  direction  of  any  particular  branch  of 
Church  work. 

3.    DEACONS. 

The  consecration  of  Deacons  is  the  first  degree  of  consecra- 
tion in  the  Church.  It  entitles  to  the  exercise  of  the  ministry 
of  the  Word  and  sacraments. 

2.  Pastoral  Service. 

The  Pastor,  or  Pastors,  and  other  ordained  servants  of  the 
congregation,  whether  bishops,  presbyters  or  deacons,  conduct 
their  office  according  to  the  rules  laid  down  by  the  Synods  of 
the  Church,  and  by  the  congregations  in  which  they  serve,  as 
far  as  these  rules  are  conformed  to  the  Principles  and  Regula- 
tions of  the  Brethren's  Unity. 

3.  Appointment. 

The  exclusive  right  of  appointment  of  minist  ers  is  vested 
in  the  Provincial  Elders'  Conference.  In  case  of  vacancy,  by 
death  or  otherwise,  in  the  Pastorate,  or  other  ordained  service 
of  the  congregation,  when  a  brother  is  appointed  b}^  the  Pro- 
vincial Elders'  Conference,  the  name  of  the  brother  so  appoint- 
ed shall  be  laid  before  the  Board  of  Elders  and  then  before  the 
Board  of  Trustees.  These  Boards  shall  decide  whether  the 
brother  whose  name  is  laid  before  them  shall  be  accepted  or 
not  ;  and  they  may,  in  behalf  of  the  congregation,  propose 
the  name  of  another  person,  and  may  also  request  from  the 
Provincial  Elders'  Conference  the  removal  of  a  brother  in 
whom  confidence  has  been  lost. 


21 


CHAPTER  V. 


RULES    AND   REGULATIONS. 

i.  All  resolutions  of  the  Congregation  Council,  the  Board 
of  Elders  and  the  Board  of  Trustees,  not  referring  merely  to 
their  current  business,  but  containing  permanent  regulations, 
shall  be  submitted  for  approbation  to  the  Provincial  Elders' 
Conference,  who  shall,  however,  be  at  liberty  to  wihhold  its 
sanction  only  in  case  such  resolutions,  in  the  opinion  of  said 
Conference,  are  at  variance  with  the  principles  and  constitu- 
tion of  the  Church. 

2.  Persons  desiring  to  become  communicmt  members  of 
the  congregation  will  receive  such  catechetical  instruction  as 
their  circumstances  may  require.  When  they  have  been  thus 
prepared  for  Church  membership  their  names  shall  be  submit- 
ed  to  the  Board  of  Elders,  who  shall  have  full  power  to  grant 
or  refuse  their  application  to  be  baptised  or  confirmed.  All 
adults  seeking  admission  into  our  communion  shall,  before 
being  received,  be  furnished  by  the  Board  of  Elders  w  th  full 
information  as  to  the  requirements  of  Council  with  regard  to 
church  contributions. 

3-a.  Persons  who  have  previously  been  full  members  of 
another  denomination,  shall  have  their  certificate  of  dismissal 
from  their  former  Church,  or,  in  case  they  cannot  obtain  them, 
the  proper  evidence  of  their  previous  membership,  laid  before 
the  Board  of  Elders,  If  their  request  to  become  members  of 
this  congregation  has  been  granted  by  the  Board  of  Elders, 
they  shall  be  received  at  a  communion  service,  with  the  right 
hand  of  fellowship.  Their  children,  under  twenty -one  years 
of  age,  if  not  objectionable  in  character,  or  not  communicants  of 
some  other  Church,  shall  be  received  into  the  privileges  of 
noa-communicants  in  the  congregation. 

b.  In  all  cases  where  one  parent  of  a  family,  only,  is 
received  into  our  communion,  the  question  as  to  whether  the 


22 

children,  if  there  be  any,  are  to  be  enrolled  as  non-communi- 
cant members  of  the  congregation,  or  whether  they  adhere  to 
the  other  parent,  shall  be  definitely  understood  at  the  time. 

4.  Until  the  chapel.-  become  separate  Moravian  churches 
their  membership  shares  in  the  privileges  and  duties  of  the 
Salem  congregation,  and  they  are  counted  as  members  of  this 
congregation. 

5.  Members  of  other  Moravian  congregations  having  been 
regularly  dismissed  from  their  churches,  shall,  after  having 
been  accepted  by  the  Board  of  Elders,  have  their  names 
announced  at  a  communion  service  as  being  henceforth  mem- 
bers of  this  congregation. 

6.  Members  are  expected  to  bring  their  infant  children  to 
be  baptized  as  soon  after  their  birth  as  convenient.  Such 
children  become  incorporated,  by  the  sacrament  of  Baptism, 
into  the  visible  Church  of  Christ,  and  are  to  be  regarded  as 
non-communicant  members  of  the  Church  until  they  have  been 
confirmed,  unless  they  should,  by  their  misconduct  in 
riper  years,  forfeit  these  privileges. 

7.  The  Lovefeast  regulations  are  as  follows  : 

a.  Lovefeasts  are  private  meetings,  intended  only  for  those 
whose  names  are  found  on  our  Church  catalogue,  or  are 
members  of  other  Moravian  churches. 

b.  Communicants  of  sister  denominations,  and  such  only, 
may  be  invited  to  these  cccasions. 

c.  In  the  case  of  a  married  couple,  of  which  only  one  is  a 
member  of  the  Church,  the  other  shall  likewise  have  the 
privilege  of  attending  the  lovefeasts. 

d.  Invitations  to  the  lovefeast  must  be  issued  through  the 
pastor,  and  according  to  his  best  judgment. 

e.  A  lovefeast  shall  annually  be  held  for  all  those  brethren 
and  sisters  who  are  regularly  engaged  in  the  service  of  the 
congregation. 

f.  In  the  case  of  children  in  the  Home  Sunday  School  and 
pupils  in  the  Salem  Female  Academy,  existing  customs  of 
admission  to  lovefeasts  shall  be  observed,  as  far  as  the  Board 
of  Elders  shall  find  them  practicable  and  desirable. 


23 

8.  The  regulations  for  Funerals  are  as  follows  : 

a.  The  chief  sexton  will  make  a  list  of  male  members  up 
to  sixty-five  years  from  which  he  will  select  those  who 
shall  assist,  in  their  due  order,  in  carrying  the  mortal  remains 
of  their  brethren  and  sisters  to  the  church  and  graveyard. 

b  Interments  in  the  graveyard  are  restricted  to  the  follow- 
ing classes  :  Members  of  this  congregation  whose  annual 
dues  have  been  paid,  and  their  children  under  twenty-one 
years  of  age,  whose  names  are  on  the  Church  books,  and  who 
have  not  connected  themselves  with  some  other  church  ;  non- 
communicant,  husbands  or  wives  of  active  members,  who  are 
of  good  moral  character  ;  members  of  other  Moravian  con- 
gregations, who  may  die  while  visiting  heie,  or  who  were 
formerly  connected  with  this  congregation  ;  teachers  and 
boarders  who  may  die  during  their  term  of  residence  in  Salem 
Academy  and  College  ;  non-commun;cant  birth-right  members, 
who  have  paid  one  dollar  annually  after  arriving  at  twenty- 
one  years  of  age.  Exceptional  cases  may  be  decided  by  the 
Boards  of  Elders  and  Trustees. 

In  all  cases,  interments  in  the  graveyard  must  be  refused 
where  member^  have  left  the  Church,  or  have  been  excluded, 
or  where  arrears  in  current  Church  account  have  not  been 
provided  for,  and  where  no  suitable  guarantee  is  given  that  a 
tombstone  will  be  laid,  and  other  requirements  met. 

c.  Fifteen  dollars  shall  be  paid  for  the  privilege  of  burial 
in  the  graveyard,  in  cases  where  the  peison  was  husband  or 
wife  of  a  communicant  member.  This  sum  shall  be  for  grave 
space  only,  and  additional  to  the  other  expenses  which  are 
customary  in  the  case  of  members.  An  additional  deposit  of 
ten  dollars  shall  be  made  at  the  same  time,  with  the  Board  of 
Trustees,  as  a  guarantee  that  a  tombstone  will  be  furnished, 
which  sum  shall  be  refunded  when  the  tombstone  is  laid. 

d.  It  is  expected  that  a  suitable  tombstone  shall  be  placed 
upon  every  grave  within  six  months  after  interment.  All 
tombstones  shall  be  recumbent,  and  their  size  shall  not  exceed 
20  x  24  x  4  inches. 

9.  Members  who  for  a  considerable  time,  have  entirely  neg- 
lected the  ordinances  and  interests  of  the  congregation,  and 
without  being  excused  by  the  Board  of  Trustees,  have  neglect- 


24 

ed  or  refused  to  contribute  to  the  support  of  the  congregation, 
shall  be  regarded  by  the  Board  of  Elders  as  having  withdrawn 
from  the  congregation,  and  their  names  shall  be  omitted  from 
the  list  of  members,  and,  where  it  is  practicable,  they  shall  be 
notified  of  the  fact  through  the  Board  of  Elders. 

10.  Members  who  have  been  excluded  shall  be  duly  noti- 
fied, and  shall,  in  all  cases,  have  the  right  of  appeal  to  the 
Provincial  Elders'  Conference. 

ii.  Whenever  the  interests  of  the  congregation,  at  any 
future  time,  shall  render  it  expedient  to  alter  or  amend,  or  add 
to  any  of  these  present  rules  and  regulations,  such  alterations, 
amendments,  or  additions,  if  adopted  by  a  majority  of  two- 
thirds  of  all  the  votes  cast  in  the  Congregation  Council, 
shall  be  of  equal  weight  and  obligation  as  though  they  had 
been  literally  embodied  in  these  present  rules  and  regulations  : 
provided,  the  vote  on  such  alterations  or  amendments  is  not 
taken  in  the  same  meeting  in  which  they  were  introduced,  but 
at  some  subsequent  meeting  of  the  Congregation  Council 
expressly  convened  for  that  purpose;  and,  provided  further, 
that  all  such  proposed  alterations  and  amendments  have  ob- 
tained the  sanction  of  the  Provincial  Elder's  Conference. 


25 


APPENDIX. 


APPENDIX  I. 


BRIEF  OUTLINE  HISTORY  OF  THE  MORAVIAN  CHURCH. 

Moravia  and  Bohemia,  once  an  independent  kingdom,  now 
provinces  of  the  Austrian  Empire,  were  Christianized  in  the 
9  h  century  by  the  two  Greek  missionaries,  Cyril  and  Meth- 
odius. Gradually,  however,  the  Church  in  this  country  came 
under  the  control  or  the  Roman  hierarchy. 

The  reformer,  John  Hus,  who,  like  a  number  of  his  earnest 
predecessors,  sought  to  bring  the  National  Church  to  the 
Scriptural  standard,  was  burned  to  death  at  Constance  on 
July  6th,  1415. 

After  years  of  bloody  war  between  Bohemia  and  Germany, 
the  more  spiritual  minded  of  the  followers  of  John  Hus,  in 
1457,  banded  themselves  together,  in  the  retired  barony  of 
Lititz,  in  Northeast  Bohemia,  to  lead  a  united  Christian  life. 

In  1467,  their  separation  from  the  National  Church  was 
consummated  by  the  decree  of  the  Synod  of  I^hota  and  by  the 
consecration  of  three  bishops  at  the  hands  of  Stephen  and  his 
Waldensian  colleague,  the  last  of  an  Austrian  Waldensian  line 
created  at  the  Council  of  Basle,  in  1434.  The  Church  of  the 
"United  Brethren"  now  spread  widely  in  Bohemia  and 
Moravia. 

In  1505,  the  first  Moravian  Hymn  Book  and  Catechism  were 
printed.  In  15 12,  the  Brethren  entered  into  relations  with 
Luther,  and  later,  into  correspondence  with  the  Swiss  reform- 
ers. In  1549,  the  first  churches  were  founded  in  Poland,  and 
the  Unitas  Fratrum  henceforth  consisted  of  three  flourishing 
divisions  in  Bohemia,  Moravia  and  Poland.  From  1579  to 
1593, the  whole  Bible  was  translated  from  the  original  into  the 
Bohemian.  It  is  called  the  "  Kraliz  Bible  "  In  1616,  the 
General  Synod  of  the  Unitas  Fratnmi  at  Zerawitz  adopted  the 
Ratio  Disciplina,  which  gives  an  account  of  the  life  and  ar- 
rangements of  the  Ancient  Brethren's  Unity,  of  highest  value 
to  their  descendents. 

After  many  persecutions,  successfully  borne,  the  Church  of 
the  United  Brethren  was  utterly  rooted  out  by  Ferdinand  of 


26 

Austria,  during  the  Thirty  Years'  War.  The  leaders  perished 
on  the  scaffold,  and  more  than  30,000  families  were  exiled 
from  Bohemia  and  Moravia.  In  Poland  the  Brethren  were 
gradually  amalagated  with  the  Reformed  Church. 

Bishop  John  Ames  Comenius,  the  famous  educator,  by  his 
personal  influence,  his  writings,  and  his  care  to  maintain  the 
episcopacy,  preserved  the  Unitas  Fratrum  from  utter  extinction. 

A  revival  among  the  descendents  of  the  Brethren  in  several 
Moravian  villages,  under  the  preaching  of  Christian  David, 
from  1722  to  1727,  led  to  the  flight  of  a  number  of  them  into 
Saxony.  They  were  kindly  received  by  the  Count  Nicholas 
Louis  Von  Zinzendorf  on  his  estates,  and  there  founded  the 
town  of  Herrnhut.  On  August  13th,  1727,  they  were  so  pow- 
erfully blessed  by  an  outpouring  of  the  Holy  Ghost  that  in  a 
few  years  their  testimony  for  Christ  was  spread  into  distant 
parts  of  the  world. 

Their  missions  among  the  heathen  commenced  in  1732,  when 
Leonard  Dober  and  David  Nitschman  started  on  foot,  each 
with  six  dollars  in  his  pocket,  and  resolved,  if  necessary,  to  be 
sold  as  slaves  in  order  to  bring  the  Gospel  to  the  heathen 
negroes  on  the  Island  of  St.  Thomas. 

It  having  been  agreed,  contrary  to  the  original  wishes  of 
Count  Zinzendorf,  that  the  Moravians  should  not  become 
Lutherans,  but  continue  their  separate  Church  organization, 
the  episcopate  was  transferred  from  the  Ancient  to  the  Modern 
Moravian  Church  by  Bishop  Daniel  Ernst  Jablonsk}'  and  Chris- 
tian Sitkovius  at  Berlin  on  March  13th,  1735.  The  first  Bishop 
in  the  new  line  was  David  Nitschman,  one  of  the  Moravian 
exiles.  On  May  12th,  1749,  the  Moravia  1  episcopate  was 
recognized  by  Act  of  British  Parliament. 

The  Moravian  Church  in  America  commenced  with  the 
arrival  of  ten  M01  avian  exiles  in  Savannah,  Ga.,  April  17th, 
1734,  u  der  the  leadership  of  Spangenberg.  The  several 
voyages  to  Savannah  led  to  the  acquaintance  of  the  Wesleys 
with  the  Moravians  In  1741,  the  chief  Northern  settlement 
of  Moravians  was  commenced  at  Bethlehem,  Pa.,  and  in  1766, 
the  chief  Southern  settlement  at  Salem,  North  Carolina. 

The  Moravian  Church  throughout  the  world  is  governed  by 
a  General  Synod,  which  meets  once  in  ten  years  in  Herrnhut, 
Saxony.  In  the  intervals  between  General  Synods,  the  Cen- 
tral Board,  called  the  Unity's  Department, residing  at  Berthels 
dorf,  near  Herrnhut,  c  nducts  the  general  affairs  of  the 
Church  The  separate  Provinces,  with  their  Synods,  are  en- 
tirely independent  in  the  administration  of  their  own  affairs. 

In  the  United  Statts  there  are  two  Provinces,  one  in  the 
North  and  one  in  the  South,  each  with  its  own  Provincial 
Synod  and  its  own  Provincial  Elders'  Conference. 


27 

At  the  end  of  1903  there  were  7,895  Moravians  o;i  the  Con- 
tinent of  Europe,  6,230  in  Great  Britain,  and  25,067  in  the 
United  States  :  a  total  of  39,192. 

The  following  brethren  have  served  as  Bishops  of  the  Unity 
in  the  Southern  District. 

1.  JOHN  MARTIN  GRAFF-Consecrated  1773,  died  1782. 

2.  JOHN  DANIEL  KOEHLER,  "  1790,     "    1800. 

3.  CHARLES  F.  REICHEL,  "'  1801,  transferred  to  Penna..  1811. 

4.  JOHN  HERBST.  "  1811,  died  1812. 

5.  JACOB  VAN  VLECK,  1815,  retired  1822. 

6.  ANDREW  BENADE.  "  1822,  transferred  to  Penna.,  1829. 

7.  JOHN  C.  BECHLER,  "  1835  "             "  Europe,  1836. 

8.  WILLIAM  H.  VAN  VLECK,         "  1836,  "  "  Penna.,  1849. 

9.  JOHN  G.  HERMAN,                        "  1846,  died  1854. 

10.  GEORGE  F.  BAHNSON,  "  1860.     "    1869. 

11.  EMIL  A.  de  SCHWEINITZ.  "  1874,     "    1879. 

12.  EDWARD  RONDTHALER,  "  1891. 


APPENDIX  II. 


MORAVIAN    MISSIONS. 

The  Moravian  Church  is  divided  into  the  German,  the  Brit- 
ish, and  the  American  Province,  (Northern  and  Southern 
Districts),  but  it  conducts  its  mission- work  among  the  heathen 
as  a  Unity,  under  the  direction  of  the  Mission  Board  at  Berth- 
elsdorf,  Saxony. 

The  Moravians  were  not  the  first  to  send  out  missionaries, 
but  they  were  the  first  Protestants  who  did  this  as  a  Church, 
and  are  still  the  only  Church  with  whom  the  evangelization  of 
the  heathen  is  the  chief  concern. 

The  first  Moravian  missionaries,  Leonard  Dober  and  David 
Nitschman,  were  sent  to  the  negroes  of  the  Danish  Island  of 
St.  Thomas  in  1732.  Gradually  the  work  was  extended  to 
many  of  the  West  India  Islands.  The  Mission  in  Greenland 
was  commenced  in  1733.  The  first  missionary  to  the  North 
American  Indians  began  his  work  among  the  Mohicans  in 
1740.  The  Labrador  Mission  dates  from  1770.  The  first 
negro  converts  of  the  Surinam  Mission  were  baptised  in  1776. 
In  1792  the  South  African  Mission,  from  which  Bro.  George 
Schmidt  had  been  driven  away  by  the  Colonial  Government, 
was  renewed,  and  has  been  extending  to  this  day. 


28 

In  the  year  1849,  both  the  Central  American  (Mosquito 
Coast)  and  the  Australian  Missions  were  commenced. 

The  Himalayan  Mission,  on  the  borders  of  Thibet,  which  is 
its  ultimate  aim,  was  undertaken  in  1853. 

In  1867  the  Church  took  charge  of  a  I^eper  Hospital  at 
Jerusalem. 

In  1878  the  Moravians  were  invited  to  undertake  a  work  in 
Demerara. 

In  1885  the  Alaskan  Mission  was  commenced. 

In  1 89 1  the  first  three  brethren  proceeded  to  East  Central 
Africa  to  found  a  mission  station  north  of  Lake  Nyassa.  This 
Central  African  Mission  has  been  widely  extended,  and  now 
consists  of  two  Provinces,  Urambo  and  Nyassa. 

The  Moravian  Missions  have  mostly  been  undertaken  among 
the  lowest  of  the  heathen.  The  Greenlander,  the  Hottentot, 
the  degraded  Australian,  the  loathsome  leper,  have  received  the 
Gospel  from  the  lips  of  the  Moravian  missionary.  The  success 
of  the  Gospel  among  these  lowliest  and  most  neglected  of  the 
children  of  earth  has  often  been  very  wonderful.  The  Mora- 
vian story  of  Missions  is  filled  with  the  triumphs  of  Christ's 
grace. 

In  1903,  there  were  15  Moravian  Mission  Provinces;  139 
Stations;  470  Missionaries  ;  2,189  Native  Helpers  of  various 
grades  ;  32,850  Communicants,  and  a  total  of  94,995. 

L,ast  year's  expense  of  the  Moravian  Missions  was  $475,000. 
It  is  a  very  great  outlay  for  a  small  Church,  and  the  assistance 
of  all  friends  of  the  Kingdom  of  God  is  very  welcome.  Con- 
tributions can  be  sent  to  Rev.  Paul  deSchweinitz,  Mission 
Agent  at  Bethlehem,  Penna.,  or  to  Mr.  James  T.  Lineback, 
Mission  Agent  at  Salem,  N.  C. 


APPENDIX  III. 


THE   SOUTHERN   DISTRICT. 

In  1753,  Count  Zinzendorf  purchased  a  tract  of  nearly  one 
hundred  thousand  acres,  in  Western  North  Carolina,  as  the 
home  of  a  Moravian  colony.    This  tract  was  called  ' '  Wachovia ," 


29 

from  the  name  of  an  estate  in  Austria  belonging  to  the  Zin- 
zendorf  family. 

The  first  settlers  were  a  band  of  twelve  young  men  from 
Bethlehem,  Penna.  After  a  toilsome  journey  of  nearly  six 
weeks,  they  found,  on  reaching  the  surveyed  tract,  a  deserted 
cabin.  Here  they  rested,  on  November  17th,  1753,  and,  call- 
ing the  place  Bethabara,  commenced  the  Lord's  work  in  the 
wilderness.  Gradually  other  Moravian  emigrants  came,  and 
neighboring  settlers  were  also  gathered  under  the  preaching  of 
the  Word. 

On  June  12th,  1759,  the  site  of  Bethania  was  selected  by 
Bishop  Spangenberg,  and  in  1760  Bro.  David  Bishop  became 
the  first  minister  of  this  congregation. 

In  1766  the  town  of  Salem  was  commenced,  and  in  1772  it 
was  made  the  centre  of  the  Moravian  colony  in  Wachovia. 

•  On  November  26th,  1758,  the  first  sermon  in  what  is  known 
as  Friedberg,  was  held  by  Bro.  L,-  G.  Backhoff ,  at  the  house 
of  Adam  Spach.  On  March  nth,  1759,  a  church  building  was 
conserated,  and  in  1772  the  congregation  of  Friedberg  was 
formally  constituted.  The  churches  at  Enterprise  and  Advent 
were  consecrated,  the  former  in  1896  and  the  latter  in  1897. 

Friedland  was  commenced,  in  1770,  with  German  settlers 
from  the  State  of  Maine.  In  1775  the  church  was  consecrated, 
and  Bro.  Tycho  Nissen  became  the  pastor  of  the  congregation. 

Meetings  commenced  in  the  neighborhood  of  Hope  as  early 
as  1758.  On  March  28th,  1780,  the  church,  which  is  still 
standing,  was  consecrated,  and  Bro.  John  C.  Fritz  became  the 
pastor.  It  was,  at  the  time,  the  only  English  congregation  in 
in  the  District.  (The  old;  church  became  untenable,  has 
been  removed,  and  a  new  church  built  in  1895). 

In  1 80 1  a  Mission  was  commenced  among  the  Cherokees  in 
the  Northern  part  of  Georgia.  After  the  removal  of  the  tribe 
to  the  Indian  Territory  the  work  was  continued.  It  now  con- 
sists of  the  two  stations,  Woodmount  and  Spring  Place,  with 
their  out-stations,  which,  in  1892,  were  transferred  to  the 
Northern  Moravian  Church  on  account  of  greater  convenience 
of  administration. 

On  May  24th,  1822,  the  Colored  Moravian  Church  was 
instituted,  which  is  still  in  a  flourishing  condition. 

In  the  year  1839,  a  devoted  layman,  Bro.  Zevely,  began  to 
visit  the  destitute  Blue  Ridge  country,  in  Virginia.  As  a 
result  of  his  work  the  Mount  Bethel  station  was  constituted 
into  a  congregation  on  November  25th,  1852.  In  1895  the 
station  at  Willow  Hill  was  begun  and  a  congregation  organized 
soon  after. 


3Q 

In  1830  the  town  of  Hope  was  laid  out  in  Indiana,  and  in 
1846  the  town  of  West  Salem  in  Illinois,  both  of  which  were 
afterwards,  for  convenience,  transferred  to  the  Northern  Board. 

In  1846  the  congregation  of  New  Philadelphia  was  organ- 
ized. The  church  at  this  place  was  dedicated  on  Oct.  31st, 
and  Nov.  1st,  1851.     Bethesda  Church  was  consecrated  in  1898. 

In  1868  the  church  at  Kernersville  was  built  by  members  of 
the  Friedland  congregation  residing  there,  and  in  1870  Bro. 
Isaac  Prince  became  the  first  minister  of  the  congregation. 

In  1880  the  congregation  at  Providence  was  organized.  The 
church  was  dedicated  on  July  16th,  1881. 

In  1887  the  congregation  at  Oak  Grove  was  commenced,  and 
the  church  at  that  place  was  dedicated  on  May  14th,  1888. 

Fulp  congregation  was  organized,  in  1894,  and  the  corner- 
stone of  the  church  laid  in  October  of  that  year.  The  church 
was  consecrated  in  1895. 

Mayodan  was  begun  in  1896,  and  Avalon  in  1900. 

The  congregation  at  Moravia  was  begun  in  1896,  and  the 
church  dedicated  in  1898. 

Wachovia  Arbor  was  begun  in  1896,  and  Carmel  in  1898. 

The  first  service  at  Clemmonsville  was  held  in  the  fall  of 
1899.  The  congregation  was  organized  in  1900,  and  that  same 
year  Clemmons  School  was  opened. 

Originally  the  affairs  of  the  Southern.  District  was  directed 
from  Bethlemem,  Penn'a,  but,  in  1768,  Bro.  Frederick  William 
Marshall  moved  to  Wachovia  in  order  to  act  as  the  agent  of  the 
Unity  in  this  District.  In  1785,  during  the  visit  of  Bishop 
John  Watteville,  the  son-in-law  of  Count  Zinzendorf,  the 
District  was  formally  organized  into  a  province  and  a  Provin- 
cial Elders'  Conference  was  instituted  for  the  South.  A 
monthly  meeting  of  the  ministers  had  already  begun  on  Sep- 
tember 15th,  1770. 

In  1857,  by  the  re-arrangement  of  the  government  of  the 
Unity  at  the  General  Synod  of  that  year,  the  supreme  control 
of  the  local  affairs  of  the  Southern  Church  was  vested  in  the 
Provincial  Synod. 

In  1877  the  Provincial  Elders'  Conference  was  incorporated 
under  the  laws  of  the  State  of  North  Carolina,  and  the  re- 
maining property  of  the  Unity  in  the  District  was  purchased 
in  behalf  of  the  Southern  District,  in  order  to  form  the  chief 
asset  in  its  new  Sustentation  Fund. 

After  a  union  with  the  Northern  District  had  been  carefully 
considered  for  a  number  of  years,  the  project  was  finally 
abandoned  by  mutual  consent.  From  January  226.  to  25th, 
1884,  the  Provincial  Synod  met  for  the  revision  of  the  Consti- 
tution of  the  Southern  Moravian  Church,  under  which  revised 
Constitution  it  is  being  admisistered. 


3i 
APPENDIX  IV. 


THE   SALEM    CONGREGATION. 

The  name  "SaeEm"  was  given  to  the  projected  central 
settlement  in  Wachovia  by  Count  Zinzendorf,  shortly  before 
his  death  in  1760.  The  site  of  the  town  was  selected  on  Feb- 
ruary 14th,  1765.  The  watchword  of  the  Moravian  Church 
for  that  day  was  very  encouraging  :  ' '  Let  thine  eyes  be  opened 
toward  this  house  night  and  day,  even  toward  the  place  of 
which  thou  hast  said,  My  name  shall  be  there." — I  Kings 
viii,  29. 

The  first  log  hut  was  begun  on  January  6th,  1766,  and  was 
occupied  by  eight  brethren  from  Bethabara  on  February  19th 
of  the  same  year.  This  house,  on  Salt  Street,  afterwards  a 
potter's  shop,  is  still  standing.  The  first  church  of  Salem, 
called  "Gemeinhaus,"  was  dedicated  on  November  13th,  1771. 
Its  site  is  now  occupied  by  the  Main  Hall  of  Salem  Female 
Academy.  In  1772  the  congregation  was  separated  from  that 
of  Bethabara,  and  became  the  seat  of  superintendence  for  the 
District. 

On  May  31st,  1791,  Salem  was  visited  by  President  George 
Washington.  He  was  very  favorably  impressed  with  the 
arrangements  of  the  town,  and  was  especially  interested  in  the 
water-works.  In  this  respect  and  in  others  the  settlers  of 
Salem  were  very  enterprising.  In  1773  the  first  Fire  Regula- 
tions were  made.  The  water- works  were  built  in  1778.  In 
1772  the  arrival  of  the  bell,  weighing  2758  pounds,  enabled  the 
town  clock  to  strike  the  hours.  In  1785  fire  engines  were 
brought  from  Europe.  Lightning-rods  were  introduced  in 
1787  ;  the  paper  mill  near  Salem  was  finished  in  1791.  Eight 
persons  were  vaccinated  in  1802,  only  three  years  after  the 
Jenner  discovery  had  been  accepted  in  London.  The  first 
wool-carding  machinery  in  the  State  was  introduced  into  Salem 
in  18 1 5,  and,  in  1840,  after  a  brief  experiment  in  cotton  man- 
ufacturing, the  Fries'  Mills  commenced  their  successful  oper- 
ation. 

In  1794  the  Boys'  School  was  erected,  during  the  principal- 
ship  of  Bro.  Christian  Thomas  Pfohl. 

In  1896  the  New  Boys'  School  building  was  erected,  and  the 
old  building  appropriated  to  Archive  and  Historical  uses. 

On  June  1st,  1798,  the  corner-stone  of  the  present  church 
building  was  laid.  The  organ  was  built  in  1799,  while  the 
church  was  being  erected.  The  edifice  was  dedicated  on  No- 
vember 9th,  1800. 

In  1802  the  Salem  Female  Academy  was  opened  as  a  Board- 
ing School. 


32 

In  1 84 1  the  Home  Chapel  was  erected.  It  was  enlarged  to 
its  present  size  in  1881. 

In  1849  51  acres  were  sold  to  the  county  of  Forsyth,  for  the 
new  county-town  of  Winston.  The  court-house  was  finished 
in  1850.  In  1856  the  lease  system,  by  which  only  Moravians 
could  be  holders  of  real  estate  in  Salem,  was  given  up.  and  the 
town,  under  its  mayor  and  council,  entered  fully  into  the 
rank  of  all  other  incorporated  towns  and  cities  of  the  State. 
It  is  now  supplied  with  extens  ve  new  water-works,  and  seven 
miles  of  street  mains;  with  electric  light  and  street  railway; 
with  steam  fire-engine;  with  a  mile  of  Main  street  paved"  with 
Belgian  block-,  (in  accordance  with  a  vote  for  a  bonded  debt 
of  $50,000,  held  on  the  4th  day  of  May,  1891  )  and  an  excel- 
lent street  system  throughout  the  rapidly  growing  city. 

On  December  15th,  186 r,  the  new  Colored  Moravian  church 
was  dedicated.  The  other  Chapels  of  the  congregation  were 
dedi  ated  at  the  following  dates  :  East  Salem  Chapel,  Decem- 
ber 1 6th,  1877;  Elm  Street  Chapel,  October  29th,  1882  ;  the 
Centreville  Chapel,  November  29th,  1885  ;  Calvary  Chapel,  in 
Winston,  December  15th,  1889;  Christ  Chapel,  in  West 
Salem,  April  9th,  1893,   and  Fairview,  1902. 

In  conned  ion  wi'h  the  Salem  congregation,  the  following 
Houses  are  maintained,  under  the  rules  of  the  Church:  A 
Sisters'  House  for  unmarried  women,  and  a  Widows'  House. 
A  committee  of  ladies  maintains  a  Home  for  women,  especially 
the  aged,  and  children. 

At  the  end  of  1903  there  were  1408  communicants,  46  non- 
communicants  and  645  children  connected  with  the  Salem 
Home  congregation  and  its  Chapels.  There  were  1587  teach- 
ers and  scholars  enrolled  in  the  nine  Sunday  Schools  of  the 
congregation. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  Pastors  of  Salem  congregation: 

1.  PAUL  TIERSCH.. 1772-1774 

2.  JOHN  MARTIN  GRAFF ., 1774—1782 

3.  JOHN  F.  PETER 1782-1783 

4.  JOHN  DANIEL  KOEHLER 1784-1800 

5.  CHRISTIAN  BENZIEN 1800—1802 

6.  CHARLES  G.  REICHEL 1802-1811 

7.  JOHN  HERBST 1811-1812 

8.  SIMON  PETER 1812—1812 

9.  JACOB  VAN:  VLECK 1812—1822 

10.  ANDREW  BENADE 1822-1829 

11.  G.     BENJAMIN  REICHEL. 1829-1833 

12.  JOHN  C.  BECHLER : 1833-1836 

13.  WILLIAM  HENRY  VAN  VLECK 1839-1849 

14.  GEORGE  F.  BAHNSON 1849-1858 

15.  FRANCIS  R.  HOLLAND 1858—1864 

16.  GEORGE  F.  BAHNSON 1864—1869 

17.  ALBERT  L.  OERTER 1869—1877 

18.  EDWARD  RONDTHALER _ 1877— 

Assistants— EDWARD  S.  CROSLAND 1901— 

J.  KENNETH   PFOHL 1903— 


33 
APPENDIX  V. 


SPECIAL   SERVICES   AND    CHURCH   CUSTOMS    OF   SALEM 
CONGREGATION. 

The  general  principles  of  Moravian  worship  are  laid  down 
by  General  Synod.  Under  these  general  rules  a  large  degree 
of  liberty  is  allowed  to  the  separate  congregations  in  their 
respective  forms  and  arrangements. 

In  addition  to  the  usual  order  of  Sunday  and  week-day 
worship,  the  Salem  church  has  the  following  special  services: — 

I?ifant  Baptisms  are  administered  before  the  Sunday  morn- 
ing sermon,  or  in  the  children's  homes. 

Confirmations  and  Adult  Baptisms  take  place  at  any  Com- 
munion, and  especially  on  Palm  Sunday. 

Holy  Communion  is  celebrated  on  the  the  first  Sunday  of  the 
year;  on  the  first  Sunday  in  Lent;  on  Maundy  Thursday  in  the 
Holy  Week;  on  Whit-Sunday;  on  the  first  Sunday  in  July;  on 
the  Sunday  nearest  the  13th  of  August,  on  the  first  Sunday  of 
October;  on  the  Sunday  nearest  the  13th  of  November;  and  on 
the  annual  covenant  days  of  the  several  Classes  of  the  congre- 
gation. The  Communion  is  preceded  by  a  Preparatory  meet- 
ing on  the  previous  Friday  evening. 

The  "Christian  Year,"  commencing  with  the  first  Sunday 
in  Advent,  is  carefully  observed. 

The  Christmas  Services  begin  on  Christmas  Eve  with  a  meet- 
ing at  4:30  P.  M.  for  little  children,  and  at  7:30  P.  M.  for  the 
older  congregation.  The  Christmas  Liturgy  is  sung  and  the 
sermon  preached  on  Christmas  morning. 

On  New  Year' s  Eve  a  service  for"  children  is  held  at  4:30 
P.  M.,  the  History  of  the  Year,  called  the  Memorabilia,  is  read 
at  8  P.  M.,  and  the  year  is  solmnly  closed  with  a  watch-ser- 
vice, beginning  at  11:30  P,  M. 

During  the  Lenten  Season  special  services  are  held  in  order 
to  impress  upon  the  minds  of  all  the  preciousness  of  the  suffer- 
ings and  death  of  our  blessed  Lord.  On  Palm  Sunday  the 
congregation  gathers  to  hear  the  Acts  and  Words  of  our  Sav- 
iour on  that  day.  They  are  read  in  a  service  interspersed 
with  hymns.  The  same  order  is  followed  on  the  successive 
days  of  the  week  until  Good  Friday  evening.  On  Saturday 
(Easter  Eve)  at  2:30  P.  M.  the  congregation  commemorates 
the  blessed  rest  which  Christ  has  secured  for  all  his  people  by 
his  own  rest  in  the  grave.  On  Easter  morning,  shortly  before 
sunrise,  the  congregation  meets  at  the  church  door  to  celebrate 


34 

the  resurrection  of  Her  Lord  by  a  united  confession  of  faith, 
which  is  afterwards  concluded  on  the  graveyard  among  the 
graves  of  Christ's  departed  people. 

The  festivals  of  Ascension,  Whitsuntide  and  Trinity  are  also 
observed 

Special  memorial  days  are  celebrated  as  follows  :  The  Sun- 
day nearest  August  13th,  in  view  of  the  gracious  outpouring 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  whereby  the  Moravian  Church  was  renewed 
on  August  13th,  1727;  the  Sunday  nearest  November  13th, 
which  is  the  congregation  anniversary. 

The  congregation  is  divided  into  Classes.  The  underlying 
idea  of  the  Classes  is  that  each  Class,  by  its  social  situation  in 
life,  needs  to  have  a  special  view  of  its  duties  and  encourage- 
ments in  the  light  of  the  Saviour's  merits  and  example,  and 
that  all  the  members  of  the  Class  are  thus  to  be  bound  more 
closely  and  kindly  together.  The  Class  Day  of  the  Widows 
falls  on  the  Sunday  nearest  April  30th  ;  that  of  the  Unmarried 
Women  en  the  Sunday  nearest  May  4th :  shat  of  the  Children 
on  the  Sunday  nearest  August  17th  ;  and  that  of  the  Unmarried 
Men  on  the  Sunday  nearest  August  29th,  and  that  of  Married 
People  and  Widowers  on  the  Sunday  nearest  September  7th. 
The  special  services  connected  with  these  Class  Days  consist 
of  a  Preparatory  meeting  on  the  previous  Saturday  evening  ;  a 
Festal  service  on  the  morning  and  a  lovefeast  and  communion 
in  the  afternoon  of  the  covenant  anniversary  Sunday. 

After  the  practice  of  the  Apostles  the  Moravian  Church 
observes  lovef easts,  in  which  a  simple  meal  is  partaken  of  all 
together,  in  token  of  the  unity  of  Christ's  family.  The  ser- 
vice consists  of  anthems,  hymns,  prayer  and  discourse.  It  is 
a  private  service,  but  is  open  to  communicants  of  other 
Churches  who  have  b  en  invited  by  the  Pastor.  The  ordinary 
love  feasts  of  the  year  are  the  Christmas  Eve  Lovefeast,  the 
Easter  Eve  Lovefeast,  the  Lovefeast  on  the  Sunday  nearest 
August  13th,  the  Anniversary  Lovefeast  on  the  Sunday  near- 
est November  13th,  and  the  lovefeasts  on  the  several  Class 
Days. 

Funerals  are  carefully  solemnized.  The  death  of  the  mem- 
ber is  announced  by  three  chorals,  played  by  the  church  band 
from  the  church  spire.  The  first  and  third  tunes  are  always 
the  same  :  i.  e.  Tune  151  A, 

"  A  pilgrim  us  preceding. 
Departs  unto  his  home," 

and 

"  Lord,  when  I  am  departing, 
Depart  thou  not  from  me." 

The  second  tune  indicates  the  class  to  which  the  departed 
one  has  belonged,  i.  e.,  for  married  brethren,  T.  83  D  : 

"Jesus  ne'er  forsake  me." 


35 
For  married  sisters,  T.  79  A  : 


"  His  plea  amid  deep  sighing. 
Mid  bitter  tears  and  crying, 
My  soul  with  peace  hath  blest." 


For  widowers,  T.  132  A 


"  His  goodness  and  bis  mercies  all 
Will  follow  me  forever. 


For  widows,  T.  149  A  : 


"  Lift  thy  heart,  O  weary  soul, 
To  the  heavenly  mansion. 

For  unmarried  brethren,  T.  185  A  : 

"  Faithful  Lord,  my  only  joy  and  pleasure. 

For  unmarried  sisters,  T.  37  A  : 

"  My  happy  lot  is  here, 
The  Lamb  to  follow." 


For  older  boys  T.  23  : 


"  Jesus'  grace  me  here  possessing. 
Early  with  his  peace  me  blessing." 

For  older  girls,  T.  14  A  : 

"  Lord  Jesus,  let  thy  grace  abound, 
Me  onward  still  direct." 

For  little  boys,  T.  39  A  : 

"The  Lord  to  his  fold  little  children  inviteth," 

For  little  girls,  T.  82  D : 

"  Should  not  I  for  gladness  leap, 
Led  by  Jesus  as  his  sheep." 

At  the  funeral  a  memoir  of  the  departed  is  communicated, 
and  at  the  grave  the  soft  music  of  the  church  band  among  the 
deep-green  firs  tells  of  a  soldier  gone  home  to  be  with  Christ. 

The  beautiful  "  God's  Acre,"  in  which  the  dead  lie  under 
recumbent  stones  of  simple  form  and  limited  size,  was  conse- 
crated on  June  6th,  177 1,  when  a  young  brother,  John  Birk- 
head  was  laid  to  rest  beside  one  of  the  central  firs. 

As  the  expenses  of  the  congregation  are,  in  part,  defrayed 
by  a  Church  Fund,  the  congregation  takes  the  opportunity  of 
contributing  the    more   liberally   to   the    monthly  collections, 


36 

which  are  gathered  on  the  first  Sunday  morning  and  evening 
of  the  month,  as  follows  : 


January, 

Missions  among  the  Heathen. 

February, 

Provincial  Collection. 

March, 

Bohemian  and  Moravian  Missions. 

April, 

Home  Missions. 

May, 

Bible  Collection. 

June, 

Special. 

July, 

Bohemian  and  Moravian  Missions. 

August, 

Missions  among  the  Heathen. 

September, 

Special. 

October, 

Home  Missions. 

November, 

Theological  Seminary. 

December, 

For  the  Poor  of  the  Congregation. 

CONCLUSION. 

liAnd  as  many  as  walk  according  to  this  rule,  peace  be  on  them 
and  mercy,  and  upon  the  Israel  of  God" — Gal.  vi,  16. 


